Joystick 'n Sliders
  • Hi

    I created a joystick for a character's face and one separately for its pupils. I moved the face's joystick to the parent composition but when I attempted to do the same with the pupils' (moving it to the same composition as the face's joystick) nothing happens.

    Is it only currently possible to move one joystick to one parent composition or is there something I'm missing?

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
    I've had some users break their joystick origin layer. You'll notice if your joystick origin becomes a non-square rectangle and you're unable to move it to a parent comp. If that happens, unbind your joystick, delete it and its origin, then create a new joystick from your freshly unbound layers.
  • Using a super simple slider control for psd. mouth shapes. For some reason on my "hold" keyframes, I'm getting a few 1 frame mouth shape changes prior to keyframe. It's only some keys and not others. I've rebuilt my rig. Re-done animations. Changed all keyframes back to linear and then to "hold" again. Checked my frame rate. It's so strange it is doing this? 
  • Using a super simple slider control for psd. mouth shapes. For some reason on my "hold" keyframes, I'm getting a few 1 frame mouth shape changes prior to keyframe. It's only some keys and not others. I've rebuilt my rig. Re-done animations. Changed all keyframes back to linear and then to "hold" again. Checked my frame rate. It's so strange it is doing this? 
    I'm not sure I'm following how your mouth is rigged. How is your slider controlling your mouth shapes. If you are using raster psd's, are you rigging the time remapping of a subcomp?
    -Mike O
  • Hey, if I update my aftereffects will it still work? Also, where can i find my registration key? I installed it a while ago and can't seem to locate my license – was considering updating aftereffects but then got afraid of losing this plug in!
  • Hey, if I update my aftereffects will it still work? Also, where can i find my registration key? I installed it a while ago and can't seem to locate my license – was considering updating aftereffects but then got afraid of losing this plug in!
    If you click on your profile, you should find your downloads and licenses with all of the latest versions of everything you've bought plus your license keys. 
  • Hey Mike, firstly, what an incredible script, thank you a hundred times over! I was wondering if you could advise me on something. 

    I have a hair layer that is linked to a head turn joystick in the "head comp", however, I need the hair to be behind the neck in the full character rig. 

    Is there a way to somehow have this "back hair" layer in my main character comp but still have it be affected by the head comp's head turn joystick? 

    Images attached. 

    imageimage
  • Hi, is there a way to use the same layer for a joystick, but also use that same layer for a slider?

    i.e. When my eye balls move with my joystick (right, left, top, bottom) the eyebrow and a few other parts fractionally move with it.
    But now I'd want to create a blinking slider, where the eyebrow etc also shift a little with it. 
    Therefore the expressions put onto the layer for the joystick, clash with the slider..
    - Thoughts?

  • Hi, is there a way to use the same layer for a joystick, but also use that same layer for a slider?

    i.e. When my eye balls move with my joystick (right, left, top, bottom) the eyebrow and a few other parts fractionally move with it.
    But now I'd want to create a blinking slider, where the eyebrow etc also shift a little with it. 
    Therefore the expressions put onto the layer for the joystick, clash with the slider..
    - Thoughts?

    If you know you want to add additional rigging to something like this situation, it's ideal to parent your eyebrows to nulls, and rig those to your joystick. Then your eyebrow position props are available to rig to a slider.
  • Thanks Mike Overbeck, will give that a shot !
    That's perhaps a (very tricky) future feature request :) Regardless, thanks a million for the amazing tool! 
  • Hi there,
    I need to create an animated face showing various different emotions. If I create a head rig that works fine with Joysticks n Sliders, then duplicate the Head Rig comp, the duplicated comp fails to work. 

    I would like to have a 'Source' comp which remains unanimated and every duplicate comp from this source contains the animation. is that possible?

    Thanks!
  • Regards Harold,
    I am testing the script and I cannot make the path and mask deform in the final control, if I can make movements, scales and rotation but not the path or mask.
    Thanks first of all.
  • Regards Harold,
    I am testing the script and I cannot make the path and mask deform in the final control, if I can make movements, scales and rotation but not the path or mask.
    Thanks first of all.
    Live path rigging does not work on After Effects version 2017 and earlier. Instead, you must animate your controllers and click the update pathshapes button to bake your shape keyframes.
  • how machine for 1 userlicense ?
  • Hey
    I want the joysticks to show up in render but for some reason they are not showing up.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

  • Hi there,

    I was trying to animate a shape by changing it's path. Took keyframes and applied the slider. Slider appeared but without any impact on the shape. What's the solution?

    I'm using AE CC 2017 version.
  • Quick question, how's it using these features with a character rigging system like rubber hose? Is it possible? 
  • Hi there,

    I was trying to animate a shape by changing it's path. Took keyframes and applied the slider. Slider appeared but without any impact on the shape. What's the solution?

    I'm using AE CC 2017 version.

    Jack Will said:
    Hey
    I want the joysticks to show up in render but for some reason they are not showing up.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

    Joysticks are created as guide layers. select the layers, right click them and uncheck "guide" to show them in your renders.
  • Hi there,

    I was trying to animate a shape by changing it's path. Took keyframes and applied the slider. Slider appeared but without any impact on the shape. What's the solution?

    I'm using AE CC 2017 version.
    Live path animation only works for users of CC2018 or later. For CC2017, you must use the update pathshapes button to see the animation applied to your paths.
  • Quick question, how's it using these features with a character rigging system like rubber hose? Is it possible? 
    Joysticks 'n Slider works very well with Rubberhose.
  • Hey guys! Really loving this plugin. Is there any way to create switch templates for sliders?
  • If I rig a character can someone else open my project and use them if they don't have JnS?


  • If I rig a character can someone else open my project and use them if they don't have JnS?


    Hi Austin,
    Yes, other user without JnS can use the rigs you create with it.
  • Ace S. said:
    Hey guys! Really loving this plugin. Is there any way to create switch templates for sliders?
    Hi Ace,
    There is no plan for switch templates for Sliders. It can be done manually by rigging time remapping of a precomp to a slider.
  • Hi - I am trying to create switch templates to achieve rotation for various parts of a duik rig - however my legs are longer than the switch template - and I can't figure out how to make it larger than 1000x1000 - as soon as i try to change the precomp size the template disappears from the dropdown (where i bind it to the joystick)... what am I doing wrong?
  • Hi - I am trying to create switch templates to achieve rotation for various parts of a duik rig - however my legs are longer than the switch template - and I can't figure out how to make it larger than 1000x1000 - as soon as i try to change the precomp size the template disappears from the dropdown (where i bind it to the joystick)... what am I doing wrong?
    Your Switch template comp must remain at 1000 by 1000 for it to work. But your legs can be any size in that switch template. The switch rig looks at your switch template, looks at the layer names and where they are located to determine which one to display based on your joystick location. So you could shrink your legs down to 10 percent in the switch template or even just put nulls in there with the correct leg names.
    -Mike O
  • Hi, I have an issue with the "move to parent" fonction.
    I create a head rig with a joystick that works well. I can animate by keyframing it.
    But when I send the joystick to the parent comp, I can't keyframe it anymore.
    It works when i move the solid, but not anymore when i but a keyframe.
    I'm using AE 2020 and the last version of your script.
    Can you help me on this ?
    Thanks
  • Ok sorry I find myself what was the issue.
    Works perfecly

  • Hi Mike, first of all I love this plugin! Secondly I want to use my rig across multiple scenes and projects, but the way I’m working means the link to the joysticks break each time I duplicate the source rig composition. Is there a workflow to build a rig that can be reused without having to re-rig a joystick each time, for each composition?

    Cheers!
    George
  • Hi Mike, first of all I love this plugin! Secondly I want to use my rig across multiple scenes and projects, but the way I’m working means the link to the joysticks break each time I duplicate the source rig composition. Is there a workflow to build a rig that can be reused without having to re-rig a joystick each time, for each composition? Cheers! George
    On my To-do is a tutorial on using JnS with Master Properties instead of moving controllers to their parent comps. This lets you caontrol your rigs from your parent comp without having to duplicate your rig to make extra instances of it.
    -Mike O
  • Hey Mike,

    I'm working on creating a switch template. I have three heads (left, right, center). when I bind them to the joy stick, it puts left to left, center to center, and right to bottom instead of right to right.

    I've done everything the the tutorial multiple times, placing layers in the same order, double checking everything has a key frame and making sure all fits have the same name - but still can't get it to do the right to the right.

    If you could give some advice, that would be great.

    Frank

  • Hey, when I import a puppet which uses joysticks into a new project,  my Swap Template comps disappear. Everything else is fine.  Any suggestions why these Swap comps are not importing with the project file?  Thanks 
  • Please make the tutorial for all options of joystick n sliders tool...........:)
  • Hey Mike, I need some help with this cool tool on AE.I'm a relatively n00b in all things AE but am trying to animate a character's head rotating.I'm using Joysticks 'n Sliders but I have a weird outcome after creating the controller for the rotating head (see gif).
    image

    https://ibb.co/GMgvFXb

    Can you please help?
    Many thanks!
  • Hello!
    I am having path shape issues, I have done this many times before but this time it's ignoring the path keyframes and creating a joystick with everything else. I already have a joystick controlling a different path on the same shape layer and it works fine, it's just this other it seems to ignore.

    I tried replicating this issue elsewhere but I can't seem to find what's wrong, when I try to replicate the same thing the path is included in the joystick and works well, wondering what it can be. Any ideas what else I can check?

    I tried renaming the path, changing the direction, updating joystick on its own, creating a new joystick, nothing works.

    very puzzling

    Thanks in advance!
  • Hey Mike, I need some help with this cool tool on AE.I'm a relatively n00b in all things AE but am trying to animate a character's head rotating.I'm using Joysticks 'n Sliders but I have a weird outcome after creating the controller for the rotating head (see gif).
    image

    https://ibb.co/GMgvFXb

    Can you please help?
    Many thanks!
    It looks like your shapes don't have consistent first vertexes or path directions. This can happen if you're building new shapes for each pose from scratch or importing them from Illustrator. You'll get the smoothest results by copying your origin pose and pushing the points around to fit your other poses.
  • Hello!
    I am having path shape issues, I have done this many times before but this time it's ignoring the path keyframes and creating a joystick with everything else. I already have a joystick controlling a different path on the same shape layer and it works fine, it's just this other it seems to ignore.

    I tried replicating this issue elsewhere but I can't seem to find what's wrong, when I try to replicate the same thing the path is included in the joystick and works well, wondering what it can be. Any ideas what else I can check?

    I tried renaming the path, changing the direction, updating joystick on its own, creating a new joystick, nothing works.

    very puzzling

    Thanks in advance!
    Make sure your path has the same number of points for each pose. The latest version of JnS alerts the user if your vertex count is inconsistent, but earlier versions simply fail to rig if the # of points is inconsistent.
  • Hello!
    I am having path shape issues, I have done this many times before but this time it's ignoring the path keyframes and creating a joystick with everything else. I already have a joystick controlling a different path on the same shape layer and it works fine, it's just this other it seems to ignore.

    I tried replicating this issue elsewhere but I can't seem to find what's wrong, when I try to replicate the same thing the path is included in the joystick and works well, wondering what it can be. Any ideas what else I can check?

    I tried renaming the path, changing the direction, updating joystick on its own, creating a new joystick, nothing works.

    very puzzling

    Thanks in advance!
    Make sure your path has the same number of points for each pose. The latest version of JnS alerts the user if your vertex count is inconsistent, but earlier versions simply fail to rig if the # of points is inconsistent.
    Thank you Mike, I just fixed it, I created a new shape, copied the path to the problematic one and that seems to have fixed it, very odd!
    Cheers,
    Alex
  • I upgraded to the new after effects and i guess also a newer version of joysticks n sliders and now the animations in older made files don't work anymore...
    Is there a way to fix this? 
  • Hi there, I am a huge fan of your plugin!
    Quick question, is there a way to render the sliders controls?

    Many thanks,
    Lenia
  • Hey! 

    Having an issue with Switch Templates. 

    Im rigging a head and am using switch templates for the ears. As soon as I connect the switch templates to the joystick, the ears behind the head become invisible. 

    its very strange as I've made a few heads in the past and haven't had this issue, there must be something I'm missing. Any ideas? 

    Thanks so much
    Matt
  • Hi there, I am a huge fan of your plugin!
    Quick question, is there a way to render the sliders controls?

    Many thanks,
    Lenia
    All of your controllers on the stage are created as Guide Layers, meaning you see them, but they do not render. Right-click the layer and uncheck "guide layer" to make your controllers renderable.
  • Hey! 

    Having an issue with Switch Templates. 

    Im rigging a head and am using switch templates for the ears. As soon as I connect the switch templates to the joystick, the ears behind the head become invisible. 

    its very strange as I've made a few heads in the past and haven't had this issue, there must be something I'm missing. Any ideas? 

    Thanks so much
    Matt
    Check the names of your layers and make sure they match the names of the layers in your switch template before you rig them. Layer name is how JnS knows which layers to write the switch template expressions to. It goes through all the layer names in the switch template, and finds those matching layers in your active comp. When it finds a match, it writes the switch expressions to the layers' opacity properties.
  • I upgraded to the new after effects and i guess also a newer version of joysticks n sliders and now the animations in older made files don't work anymore...
    Is there a way to fix this? 
    Older versions of JnS wrote expressions that don't work with the new and improved Javascript expressions engine. You have two options:
    • Unbind and rebind your rigs with the latest version of JnS
    • Go into your project preferences and under the Expressions tab, choose Legacy Extendscript as your Expressions Engine.
  • Hey Matt!

    I'm having trouble creating a UI slider. I created a slider control with your plugin that is attached to a bunch of layers, no problem. But when I select the Null or the Slider Control in that Null and click "Create" under the UI Sliders section... nothing happens.

    Any ideas?

    Cheers,
    Brendan
  • Hey Matt!

    I'm having trouble creating a UI slider. I created a slider control with your plugin that is attached to a bunch of layers, no problem. But when I select the Null or the Slider Control in that Null and click "Create" under the UI Sliders section... nothing happens.

    Any ideas?

    Cheers,
    Brendan
    Which version of JnS are you running? Version 1.7.1 fixed a bug that was preventing UI slider creation. You can check the version you're running by clicking the '?' in the UI. 
  • Hey Matt!

    I'm having trouble creating a UI slider. I created a slider control with your plugin that is attached to a bunch of layers, no problem. But when I select the Null or the Slider Control in that Null and click "Create" under the UI Sliders section... nothing happens.

    Any ideas?

    Cheers,
    Brendan
    Which version of JnS are you running? Version 1.7.1 fixed a bug that was preventing UI slider creation. You can check the version you're running by clicking the '?' in the UI. 
    Thanks for the quick response Mike (apologies for the name mix-up, was reading comments below and brain-farted). Hmm I clicked check for updates and it says "You are up to date! Joysticks 'n Sliders 1.7 is currently the latest version available."

    Should I manually download 7.1?
  • Hey Matt!

    I'm having trouble creating a UI slider. I created a slider control with your plugin that is attached to a bunch of layers, no problem. But when I select the Null or the Slider Control in that Null and click "Create" under the UI Sliders section... nothing happens.

    Any ideas?

    Cheers,
    Brendan
    Which version of JnS are you running? Version 1.7.1 fixed a bug that was preventing UI slider creation. You can check the version you're running by clicking the '?' in the UI. 
    Thanks for the quick response Mike (apologies for the name mix-up, was reading comments below and brain-farted). Hmm I clicked check for updates and it says "You are up to date! Joysticks 'n Sliders 1.7 is currently the latest version available."

    Should I manually download 7.1?
    It appears that the version-checking of that build is not working correctly either.
    Yes, please go to your downloads and licenses and download the latest version, which is 1.7.4
    You can also use the aescripts + aeplugins manager app to keep all of your products up to date.

  • Hey Matt!

    I'm having trouble creating a UI slider. I created a slider control with your plugin that is attached to a bunch of layers, no problem. But when I select the Null or the Slider Control in that Null and click "Create" under the UI Sliders section... nothing happens.

    Any ideas?

    Cheers,
    Brendan
    Which version of JnS are you running? Version 1.7.1 fixed a bug that was preventing UI slider creation. You can check the version you're running by clicking the '?' in the UI. 
    Thanks for the quick response Mike (apologies for the name mix-up, was reading comments below and brain-farted). Hmm I clicked check for updates and it says "You are up to date! Joysticks 'n Sliders 1.7 is currently the latest version available."

    Should I manually download 7.1?
    It appears that the version-checking of that build is not working correctly either.
    Yes, please go to your downloads and licenses and download the latest version, which is 1.7.4
    You can also use the aescripts + aeplugins manager app to keep all of your products up to date.

    Beautiful - that fixed it. Thanks Mike!
  • Hello!

    If I have a character rig that consists of some precomps with joysticks in them that are set to the parent comp.
    and in the main parent comp there are joystick too. 

    How can I duplicate the master character rig comp so that is independent so I can create different animations from the character rig.
    I would like to duplicate the final master character comp - Animate a shot there, then duplicate the master comp again and creating another animation etc.. all using the master character rig as my start comp to animate.
    thanks!


  • Hi Mike! Is there any way to change the joystick and slider graphics in the composition? I see you can change the box for the joysticks and the lines for the sliders, but can you change the box or the arrows? Thank you for your time!